Who is a sex offender?

Names in quotation marks are pseudonyms; names with none are used with permission or are publicly known figures.

By Sandy . . . “Evan” is 71 years old. He was charged with viewing illegal pornography, a federal internet crime. That was eight years ago. He did not come to trial for four years after being charged. He was sentenced to eleven and a half years, of which he has now served four. His wife visits him twice a week, spending a goodly portion of her meager income on gasoline, tolls, and vending machines. They have no children and no other family. She is in despair and fear every day. If he serves out his full sentence and is still alive, he will be almost 80 when he is released. He will then be on probation for ten more years and on the registry until he dies.

Tammie is a young grandmother who has legal custody of young grandchildren. Sixteen years ago, her son at age fourteen engaged in a sexual relationship with a woman in her mid-twenties. When Tammie became aware, she demanded that it stop and threatened to go to the authorities, which she did two months later when she discovered the relationship was continuing. Tammie was charged with failure to report a crime in a timely manner and incarcerated for eighteen months. Upon release she was told that her offense was a subset of a sexual crime, promoting the sexual performance of a child in a custodial position, and that she would be required to register as a sex offender for life. Due to that status, she is prohibited from having any involvement with the school activities of her grandchildren.

“Bill” is now sixty. Twenty-five years ago, he was convicted of criminal sexual penetration. He was sentenced to 105 years with 80 of them suspended. He was incarcerated for fourteen years with eighteen months of in-house parole after release and is required to be on the registry for life.

“Ray” is in his early forties. As an eighteen-year-old high school senior football star, his girlfriend “Patti” was a fifteen-year-old sophomore cheerleader. After he graduated, her mother realized that they were sexually involved and, when they didn’t listen to her, sought law enforcement assistance, expecting them to give Ray a warning. Instead, he was charged and convicted of sexual assault of a child. Two years later Ray and Patti married and have four children. Their father has been limited in his participation in their school and athletic activities because he is listed on the sexual offense registry for the rest of his life.

“Jeffrey” is 50 years old and was released from prison in March of this year after serving more than thirty years behind bars. In 1987 he was convicted of multiple felonies, including two for forced rape and sexual assault. He will be on the sex offender registry for life.

Brian is 34. In 2002 at age 16 he received a conviction for rape based on the accusation and testimony of a high school classmate. He served slightly over five years in prison and was released to a period of probation and with a lifetime requirement as a registered sex offender. In 2011 his accuser contacted him and recanted her accusation. The Innocence Project became involved, and in 2012 Brian’s conviction was overturned and he was removed from the registry.

“Thomas” is 52 years old. In 2018 he was released after serving thirty years. He was incarcerated as a result of multiple convictions of rape committed when he was in his early to mid-twenties. An attempt to have him civilly committed was unsuccessful, and he is on the sex offender registry for life.

“Mark” is now 22 and has been on the sex offender registry for six years. When he was fifteen, he sent by cell phone transmission pictures of his erect penis to two girls his age and requested reciprocal images from them, which he received. His conviction in 2013 was for sexual exploitation of a child. His registration requirement is for life, but he may be eligible to apply for removal from the registry after twenty years.

Eight people. Seven male, one female. Ranging in age now from little more than a teenager to a senior citizen. Seven living in towns and cities across America; one still incarcerated. One now exonerated as being falsely accused and wrongly convicted; seven whose guilt is not legally in question. At the time of the offenses, three were teenagers, two in their twenties, two in their thirties, and one sixty-three. Three have convictions of rape or sexual assault; one was an internet voyeur, one a parent in over her head, one engaged in premarital sex, one a horny teenager. And one was innocent.

They could not be more different, more disparate. Yet, when “Evan” is released from prison and if there were no Innocence Project – the recanting of an alleged victim is worth very little – for all eight:

If they were evacuating from Hurricane Dorian in New Hanover, North Carolina, the only place they could shelter would be in the city jail;

If they lived in Oklahoma, they could never go to a beach, a lake, or a park;

If they lived – or wanted to live — in Waxahachie, Texas, 70% of the homes and apartments would be off limits due to residency restrictions;

If they lived in Missouri, on October 31 they would be under house confinement with lights out and a sign on their doors announcing, “No candy here,” from 5 – 10:30 p.m.

If they live ANYWHERE, they could not set foot in Florida for three days or more without being legally required to register on the Florida Sex Offender Registry, from which they would never be removed even when they left the state or died;

If they lived in South Carolina, every offense represented here and every conviction that can be labeled a sex offense would automatically trigger a lifetime requirement to register with no provision for removal;

If they live anywhere, they are subject to vigilantes using the registry as a hit list and at risk, along with their families, for vandalism, assault, and murder;

If they live in Delaware, they are ineligible to vote for life even though most felons have voting rights restored upon full completion of the sentence.

Eight people, different in so many ways, but they share a bond that unites them with each other and with the other almost million individuals in the United States who bear the distinction of being listed on one of our nation’s sexual offense registries. Their inclusion marks them as modern day lepers, arguably the most identifiable, despised group in America. That title tells the world that they are to be feared, that they are dangerous, that they must be kept at a distance from children, yet a significant percentage of them are children themselves or were when they were given the title of sexual criminals. And yet a high percentage of them are managing their lives, raising their own children, contributing to their communities, and harming no one.

Almost everyone knows them. They are our neighbors, our husbands, our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, our friends, our co-workers, and members of our churches and organizations.

And their number is growing. Thousands of Americans are added monthly to their number. Many of the state structures tasked with the complexities required in managing them are stretched to the breaking point, poised to break like rubber bands.

And not a study done can point to positive benefits for society that have resulted from the sexual offense registration programs. Indeed, each day more ways in which society is harmed are identified.

It is said that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the very definition of insanity. And insanity is the very definition of America’s sexual offense registries.

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Sandy is communications director for NARSOL, editor-in-chief of the Digest, and a writer for the Digest and the NARSOL website. Additionally, she participates in updating and managing the website and assisting with a variety of organizational tasks.

This is the only crime where the offender is punished over and over even a person who took a life is allowed to go on with their life once released but not so for a sex offender and why is that? This crime is a money making project for those in the legislation – it keeps them in power because they keep the public in fear because they know it’s so easy to do. I agree there are sex offenders that should never see the light of day but those who are convicted for sexting, having a sexual relationship and one is a few years younger or even child pornography should be looked at on a different level plus the family (if willing to do so) should be involved in working towards a positive outcome. The offender once released needs a strong supporting network and keeping them on a registry is only working against that positive because it constantly tells them they are no good, they are damaged goods they have no worth to anyone much less themselves and that stigma has to be broken. Many offenders want that second chance, to leave that life behind and many work very hard to get that life back, accepting just about any employment to get a paycheck going that will lead to other things that all of us take for granted. Truly, is a teenage boy who had a physical relationship with a girl three years younger than himself a danger to society? How about a teen girl sexting, is she a danger to society? Even a person who is caught with child pornography is not one to be feared but those who make the images are yet we hear nothing about that side because it’s much easier to catch the viewer. Remember at one time, it was thought any man viewing “adult magazines” would turn into future rapists – turns out not so. The whole judicial system needs a serious revamp on every level and this would be a good place to start.

I’ve been subscribed to narsol for a long time now. Here are my thoughts, if they are allowed to be published.
Narsol, you try to do good for some of us, but you seem picky on who you want to protect. You justify the age 22 with a 15 year old, probably because it can be socially explained. Yet don’t seem to advocate for others that made a mistake, one that society wouldn’t be able to rationalize. It seems like a solid plan, advocate for the ones that help your cause, instead of the ones that could make it harder. Except there are many SO’s, and most of them having voting power. The power to help change. Power comes in numbers,and I truly believe only power can create change. I may be wrong…yet I was royaly messed out of justice. A good kid, age 18, who was threatened to sign a deal on the day they were throwing the case out….but the age difference doesn’t sound good so no one will ever tell my story. My life will forever be “hell” in a sense. Seems to be about what sounds good….not what is good. Myself, I’ve given up on hope…hope that good people will fight to change our situations. If the charge isn’t “politically correct” enough. Despite the facts. Or despite the fact that people change. They can’t be defined, for their life time, by one act they commit that only just became socially unacceptable. There may not be any justice in this world, but it’s not forever, and God’s world after is eternal. Even know, a tough guy as most see me, starting to cry as I type this. Yet it’s up to a groups mercy to even let it post. There’s no justice left.

Where do you get the impression that we don’t advocate for everyone on the registry? What you said is simply not true. We have shared stories from people who were charged with all sorts of sexual offenses and maintain our belief that everyone deserves the chance to move past their conviction, free of the restraints of the registry, regardless of the nature of the offense they were charged with. I honestly can’t fathom why you thought otherwise.

Hi, Matthew; thank you for your thoughts on the subject. I have to ask you though what you mean by “protect”?
Our mission is not to protect people from the consequences of breaking the law. Our mission is to advocate for people who have served the consequences for their actions established by the law who are then having their own rights violated by a registry and its consequences. We advocate against the sex offense registry for everyone, the teenagers and everyone else who falls under its purview. That was the entire point of the piece I wrote. Yes, some crimes are worse than others; no one could deny that. But regardless of the crime, when the penalties have been satisfied, it should be OVER. The registry keeps that from happening.

I feel your pain. I am sorrowed and angered by the cruelty of the registry to everyone affected, regardless of what their past convictions were. An opportunity to start over and be accepted as a welcome member of society should be accorded to everyone who wants it. We exclude no one in our fight for that.

Ok, wait a minute Sandy…. the whole mission of this site and organization IS to protect people from the consequences of their behaviors and to fight against the consequences of said punishment.

I have gotten professionals – attorneys, sex offender therapists, business men and women in a position to potentially help – to view this site, take a look into the organization as a whole, and to review the materials. They all come to the same conclusion I did: the mission of narsol seems to be to sweep under the rug some of the more frightening crimes and to justify the others in an effort to make sex offenses as a whole seem to be ‘no big deal’, thus lessening the perceived societal impact and making the draconian restrictions seem outrageous.

Some sex offenders need these restrictions. As an offender myself, I know many, many other offenders who have more than one offense and actually need the monitoring and restrictions. There are legitimately some very sick people out there, and narsol’s ‘justice for all, not for some’ credo is damaging to the entire cause because the justice system, the treatment system and the public realize that you have to, as a matter of public safety, monitor some of these individuals.

In reply to Johnathan’s statement, while it may seem at first glance, that it would be necessary to monitor certain individuals, this should never come at the expense of violating a person’s constitutionally protected rights. Registries arbitrarily impose serious and real limitations and hardships on people and families well after all sentence imposed punishments are concluded, all in the pursuit of government interests to reduce recidivism that are unsupported by the evidence.

There are a plethora of tools at law enforcement’s disposal to ensure that society is protected from the “sickos”, even if the registry were to disappear today. With proper investigative measures, they can hold serious offenders accountable for their actions and prosecute to them to the full extent of the law, and even pursue civil commitment, if necessary, depending on the state they live in. Some folks who advocate for public registries cite Larry Nassar as an example for why they are needed, but if you look at his case, I’m pretty sure Mr. Nassar is never going to have the opportunity to register, given his lengthy sentence. This is why we struggle to have our rights and dignity restored through the dismantling of the registry, because it is unnecessary in the pursuit of public safety, ineffective at reducing recidivism (which is already low for most individuals) and it hamstrings people and families across the entire spectrum from being able to move beyond the debilitating sanctions imposed by many jurisdictions.

I’m not pro-crime, I just insist our governmental institutions use the tools we citizens have already given them to maintain the public order rather than allowing them to erode our liberties in order to make up for their shortcomings in properly administering justice.

Nope you missed the point completely! It is because you are biased, and have an agenda. Not everyone on this list is guilty of the crime they were convicted of ether. Read the constitution, then read the sex offender registry rules for your state. If you have a functioning mind you will come back and join the fight.

Sandy, the consequences of the law could range anywhere from “Penalty” to “Sex Offender Registry” as part of a penalty.
What if they consider the SOR as a penalty (which some already do?), and part of the “sentence” could include it? And you seem to say you are not in protection of people who didn’t serve their sentence.

I for one would believe in protecting them regardless of sentence lawfully. In the moral opinion, there are sentences that could be cruel and unusual that are unjustified, and I for one would desire to protect people lawfully, even if they didn’t complete their sentence and without defending the mistakes. For example, a person getting a life sentence for possession of illegal content. Do you think it’s justified for someone to get life imprisoned for it?

I for one would not defend the mistake, but that doesn’t mean I have to believe in retribution, especially if it involves a life sentence, even if it did have parole. If I had a child age 15 I saw the person look at illegal content. Would I report the person to the local law knowing it would likely ruin the person’s life? Or would I think of a better way, and discourage the person from committing the crime again, and have the person destroy such content because I think it’s more justified? I might pick option two.

Mathew,
I feel you. Like you I think we do have numbers and we could use them against the very powers that push us into the furthest corners of society. Shame is their strategy and the registry is their weapon. So long as we are afraid to stand up and admit to who we are, it makes it hard to be heard. I am ready though…and I believe that there are thousands like us who feel the same. Stay gold

Jonathan, if that is what you think, then we have done a very poor job of communication. Please re-read our vision, mission, and goals. https://narsol.org/about-us/vision-mission-and-goals/ And when you are finished, if you still feel the same way, read them again. Where do they suggest that we feel sexual offense should be “no big deal”? Where are we trying to protect people who have committed crimes from being responsible for what they have done?
It would also be beneficial for you to read our official position on some of the major issues: https://narsol.org/category/narsols-positions/
We oppose restrictions and policies that are shown by research to be ineffective and harmful to society. We do not oppose people being required to know the laws under which they live, obeying those laws, and accepting the consequences of their actions when they break those laws. We only ask that the laws be effective in producing the desired result, and we oppose the laws that do not. That doesn’t mean we advocate breaking those laws. It means we advocate changing those laws and replacing them with ones that are shown to accomplish the desired goals of rehabilitation, becoming responsible citizens, and creating a safer society for all.
Do you know how many on the registry say, “Others need to be on it but I don’t”? NO ONE needs to be on it because it does not work. Yes, some repeat offenses; some need monitoring. That is what reasonable periods of parole and probation are intended to accomplish. They are part of the punishment phase. And if they repeat offenses, they need more monitoring. If restrictions are needed for an individual, they need to be applied to that individual, not across the board to everyone on the registry. Residency and proximity restrictions do not work. But for the few who either cannot or will not alter their behavior, if they show they are unable to set restraints on themselves, then the court will set the restraints for them, but it should be part of their punishment, not something thrown in that is applied to everyone on the registry.
NARSOL and our affiliates have among our supporters and fellow advocates a great many professionals – attorneys, sex offender therapists, business men and women, as well as researchers, scholars, and people in law enforcement and even the political arena — and no one has suggested that we are attempting to create an environment where sexual offenses of any sort are “no big deal.” If you really feel that is what we are about, then you are in the wrong place.

Sandy… The registry, and the consequences that come with it are exactly what you are trying to protect offenders from. So, you are trying to protect offenders from the consequences of their actions. The registry is obviously one of those consequences.

Do I like being on the registry? No. However, this is the hand I dealt myself with my offending behavior. The same goes for anyone else. ‘Fairness’ does not even come into it because the laws are written down in black and white and there for us to read; ignorance of the facts is no excuse. The punishments are well known by this point… And yet the offense rate is still high in general.

Is the public overreacting in general to sex offenders? Sure, as a measure of self-protection from harm in the face of alarmingly high rates of sexual offense in this nation (1 in 4 girls/1 in 7 boys). No different than putting bars on windows on houses in crime-riddled residential areas; you want and need some measure of protection and feeling of saftey as a human need, regardless of whether it works.

The SCOTUS ‘frightening and high’ statement doesn’t apply to reoffending, but you cannot argue that it doesn’t apply to the offense rate in general.

If we could focus on lowering the offense rate in general, then the public at large wouldn’t feel the need for protective measures from sex offenders because THE DANGER WOULD NOT EXIST.

Jonathan, I think I understand now where you are coming from. You want to stop sexual crime totally. Newsflash: So do we. Newsflash 2: That’s not going to happen. And even if it could, the registry would be no help in accomplishing it. But the right kind of programs could help lower the rate at which it occurs. The registry isn’t going to do it.

How could it? The registry 100% targets those who have a conviction for a sexual crime. Consistent in all studies for decades, approximately 96% of sexual crime is committed by those with no prior sexual crime convictions. It’s like going to a shelter for only dogs and going through room after room looking for a cat.

Every study done verifies that the registry does not aid in inhibiting first time offenders, repeat offenders, or lowering the rate of sexual crime. If it does none of those, what good is it? Yes, we advocate eliminating it because it is pure misdirection and it consumes resources into the billions that could be used for programs and initiatives that could help accomplish the goals it doesn’t accomplish AND it functions as punishment applied retroactively to those who have completed their court-ordered punishment. We do NOT advocate registrants ignoring their obligations under it. If they choose to do so as a means of protest and with willingness to accept the consequences, that is an individual choice.

I believe that if you look more closely, you will discover that you are in error about the “frightening and high” statement; it does indeed address re-offense. The exact wording from the original is, “Alaska could conclude that a conviction for a sex offense provides evidence of substantial risk of recidivism. The legislature’s findings are consistent with grave concerns over the high rate of recidivism among convicted sex offenders and their dangerousness as a class. The risk of recidivism posed by sex offenders is ‘frightening and high.’ ” McKune v. Lilc, 536 U. S. 24, 34 (2002).

I cannot see that I made an appeal to “fairness.” You are also equating the registry with punishment, which it has been ruled not to be. If it only were labeled as such, it would be subject to constitutional protection against retroactivity.
Additionally, your 1 in 4, 1 in 7 statistic has been determined to be a bit of hyperbole. A DOJ publication presents a more accurate view: “One in nine girls and one in 53 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult.” (U.S. Department of Justice. Journal of Adolescent Health. The Lifetime Prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Assault Assessed in Late Adolescence. 2014.)

Your next to last statement has definite merit, but, again, the registry will not help accomplish that. If you wish more dialogue with me on these matters, please email me at communications@narsol.org. We do appreciate your involvement with NARSOL and with our website and the thought you are giving these matters.

Thank you everyone for fighting… I was in my mid twenties and had consensual sex with a minor… Who when I was on parole, looked me up, and tried to rekindle the relationship almost 7 years later. There wasn’t even a no contact order. My parole officer suggest that for my own mental health I shouldn’t continue the relationship with my “victim”…. But I met someone who had 6 children and her ex used me against her to get full custody, which he did. But she is a warrior and now after many years of legal fighting the courts don’t use my background… The judge was upset at last hearing because the only the her ex would say is, but Jeremy… Judge told him I’m not a threat and never was, how he was manipulating the system just to hurt his ex wife and she now has joint legal custody again… So it’s slowly changing but it hurts my son cause I can’t really be involved in the school system

Good article and good comment by Deb Welch. I agree, the registry is nothing but greed. To ruin a teenager’s life for having his first girlfriend is the worst thing you could ever do! God is in charge, not man!! They should have offered counseling, not charge him, my son. He is a fine young man now but has difficulty finding a job. His Hope’s and dreams of joining the Marines out of high school was ruined. Look at all the politicians and lawmakers that commit worse sexual crimes. Wake up America! I agree, the entire Judicial system needs to be revamped. To allow the owner of a polygraph business on the board of the sex offender registry is your proof that it,’s all about the money! What are you going to do when the all mighty dollar is worthless ? It’s on it’s way but in the meantime, you ruined the integrity, dignity and livelihood of hundreds of thousands of decent peoples lives and their families. I wonder how many hypocrites, ghosts in their closets if you will, are presently on the Registry Board as members? Shame on all of you for throwing the book at those who truly are not sex offenders. God is in charge and judgement day is a guarantee for everyone on this earth.

I’m currently right at my 20 year mark from sentencing. When I was sentenced I was 30 years old and the terms were 10 years probation and I could petition to be removed from the registry after 20. In that period of time they removed my ability to petition to be removed from the registry (so much for the grandfather clause). International Megan’s Law is in full effect and I have to have a passport with a giant red “S” on it making it unmistakeable if I tried entering any country of my status, much less if the country even would let me in. My understanding of international travel includes notifying the local law enforcement, who informs the INTERPOL which telegraphs my trip to the receiving country with information that basically says “I’m wanted for crimes” of which I will automatically be rejected from entering. Never mind I’m traveling with my wife and have a purpose of relaxation on the trip. Fortunately I live in a reasonable state. I can’t imagine living in one of the states mentioned here.

Over the past several months I have found myself often wondering what the point of having lifetime sentences for anything. And don’t get me wrong – this IS a lifetime sentence no matter that the Supreme Court believes the registry isn’t punishment. I mean if I am so worthless that I can no longer ever be trusted, what is the point of living? The same that can be said for the folks who have lifetime prison sentences. At least I try to contribute to my community and society where I can. I fortunately have friends and family who support me. Neighbors who are aware of my offense stand up for me if there is ever a question.

While I wallow in my pity articles like this realize that I do have it really good compared to many others in my situation. I just wish we could turn the corner and stop the insanity of the lifetime registry.

Not a one, my friend. Jeffrey who? It’s already being covered up and swept under the rug. The video was conveniently malfunctioning, cellmate moved out, etc., etc. This was no suicide, and the only reason it happened was because probably at least 1/4 of the world’s elite class would be implicated. 🙁

The keeping of registries is a product of a Fascist or Communist mind. Just ask the Stasi. You can go to their library in Germany if you want to see more clearly! I would also suggest the library of the KGB but I don’t think they let anyone in. Registries and secret documents are the bailiwick of all forms of totalitarian government. Are we all awake yet?

What can we actually do? We are targets just by continuing to exist!
1. We band together, pony up, and slam Florida and the rest with a class-action lawsuit that will be remembered to the end of time; or,
2. Civil Disobedience. Refuse to register or cooperate. They can’t throw all of us in jail; or,
3. Outright revolt. Won’t work unless everyone is committed down to their lives; or
4. We move to another country (in Europe?) that will have us.

I’m more in favor of #1, with #4 being my second. I’ve shed my blood for this country in combat, and I’ll be goddamned if I’m gonna leave just because of some law that should be overturned.

I have also advocated in the past for filing a complaint with the UN Commission On Human Rights. I filed a personal one about 8 years ago, without any result. Perhaps if our organization filed one on all of our behalves?

The ACLU isn’t going to lift a finger because there’s no glamor to be had from or money to be won in our fight and we’re not all muslim afro-hispanic radical lesbian feminists. The same goes for Human Rights Watch.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If we could get every RSO to contribute $5-10 to fund action, things would be poppin’. Please don’t come at me with excuses about how broke everyone is, especially if you’re typing a reply from your cell phone or tablet. If you can afford either of those and service to boot, you can cough up a measly $5. Hell if it meant success, I’d starve for a day just to be able to send money. We need to get off of our collective asses, stop wailing, moaning and gnashing our teeth, grow a set (for us gents), and get to work.

ACLU isn’t going to lift a finger, huh? They are involved in at least 4 cases on the behalf of registrants that I know of. In two of those cases the ACLU Attorney is aggressively leading the way and she had a very significate victory a couple years ago.

They certainly screwed up the case law for the 10th circuit, didn’t they? Instead of rushing to their defense, perhaps you should take a deep breath, step back, and look at *why* they “helped.” They are useless unless they can grandstand. I’ll wager almost all of us have gotten their signature refusal of help: “with limited budget, the ACLU has to choose which cases it pursues very carefully.” Their attorney is “aggressively” leading the way? Where, for whom? Citations please.

Instead of rushing to attack them, take a deep breath and consider that we are lucky they are helping us at all, considering the low opinion some of us harbor towards them. And, do your own research. Does v. Snyder would be a good starting point.

Now, now, young man, don’t get all defensive. You were the person who jumped at me, so YOU provide the research. After the US 10th Circuit fiasco, I wouldn’t let them argue a parking ticket for me. Now if we’re through here, perhaps both of us can get back to what we were doing!
Ne conjuge dobiscum!

@Svejk,
I’m in FTR case now, by choice!
I’ve began a thread to author a removal petition for J G Roberts ( chief justice) on sosen.org.
I can and will meet you in D.C. Any time you say!
But I ain’t running to no fed court until a record is created! That is the purpose behind FTR, I’ll have the WI SOR agent on the stand in pre- trial THIS MONTH, Sept 23, 11:15 in 2nd floor jury assembly room 6th circuit, 51 s. Main st., Janesville WI 53545

Come watch it IF you have the inclination. It’s gonna be an epic grilling because I get to ask the questions personally and not some clueless PD dud.

Can a SOR agent opening an envelope with a signed registration from truly have know of absolute “actual compliance ” upon reading it? NO, there is only presumption of compliance. This basic fact too often goes unsaid precisely because intermediate scrutiny is used.

SOR tones of good public policy but what rancher advertises the least of his flock world-wide? The soon bankrupted rancher!

@Tim in WI
I wish I *could* be there on the 23rd! Will you be recording it (you will have that right, I believe)? It would be awesome to listen to what you say to the man, but unless you do have a lawyer with you, I would expect the judge to try to run over you. Stand your ground, but respectfully.

I don’t know about meeting me in DC, I suspect we would not accomplish anything there, unless we had a crowd of significant mass protesting with us. If we’re going to do something, we need to have paid representation. We want their undivided attention, so they are not handling other cases at the same time. I feel this is the only way we’ll ever win.

Let us know how the 23rd turns out!. I’ll have my fingers and toes crossed for you!
Svejk

@Svejk,
Good idea about getting a recording! My main goal is to educate those who might choose to put the question and regime to the smell test in front of a jury at FTR. FOR me the propper tact to pursue is an attack on
GOV USE OF THE MACHINE DATABASE which SOR is a big brother use of.

Moreover SOR first broadly justified domestic surveillance need and made the big data folks the GOOD GUYS. Today every American is forced to purchase identity protection precisely because of the threat to individual sovereignty the databases brings inherently with them.

While most advocacy focus is on sex offender registration and debilitating regulations I believe the best approach is coming from a position directly confronting database use. That is the general plan in my current FTR.

A Plain fact is the database is far more the threat to national security and some of the people already know it. Another painful fact is that even if one is removed from state database the private ones remain. Firms have stolen SOR material for their own profit. That is precisely why due process must be required AND afforded.

I appreciate your thoughts and comments. You are very obviously an extremely passionate and vocal advocate for the problems connected with the registry. Just a few thoughts about the possible solutions you mentioned:

2. Civil Disobedience. Refuse to register or cooperate. They can’t throw all of us in jail; or,
They most definitely COULD throw us all in jail. In fact. no matter what it might cost the government, they and most of the public would rather see us all locked up and out of contact with their families.

4. We move to another country (in Europe?) that will have us.
As much as I would love to move to another country, most of them do not even want us to visit their lands, let alone to live in them. Any one (or all) of us that arrived at their airport with that “S” on our passports would be met at the gate, confined and returned to the US on the next flight out! And then, if we didn’t follow the process of notifying everyone necessary of our travel plans, we’d end up right back in prison!

My thoughts are, if they won’t do away with the registry, we need to find ways to get them at least to limit the periods we have to serve. That would be the first step to finally eliminating it. For those of us who were convicted under Federal law, it doesn’t matter what the state laws say or whether or not they allow you to deregister after a period of time (10 years in the state I reside in), we are on the registry for life. The only hope we have of getting off the thing is to die! Making a change in the Federal Lifetime Registry is the first step in beginning to fight the problem, in my opinion. Unfortunately, I’ve heard no one, ON THIS BOARD, or anywhere else that is concerned about those of us in this position.

There are so many things, ways, and methods that must be used to address our problems that it will take time for anything to change, even in the least that I know I will never see it happen in my lifetime (which I’m certain will not last much longer due to my age, health problems and financial situation (which has caused the medical problems), and the impossibility of finding any kind of decent job. I can only hope better for those in the future!

Wow! What an article and the responses are amazing and diverse. I agree with one and all mainly because those who do not see themselves represented feel abandoned and they are not. I have very little to say beyond the fact that I wonder how many members of Congress could be accused of being a SO for something that they did at another time and part of their lives. I am always amazed at how the most conservative of the members of Congress both in their home states and the US are linked to these types of crimes. But they never seem to be punished as does the common man or woman. Please no one give up. We have to fight this and their is power in numbers. I am a member of an offenders family and he is a good person. And when I see him I see a man who at one time was happy, friendly and outgoing. But now there is a reserve about him that makes me sad. To the writers of these articles you are amazing and articulate. Keep up the good work.

Sandy what a good and so true article. Thank you for telling how it is for so many! I know how much work it is for the parole officers. Within a short time we had four PO and the days of visits changed. This I am told is because of the changing of the location of the PO. I think it is because of the growing list and the work load. I do believe that putting everyone into the same soup bowl as SO is a problem. There needs to be change and it will happen. The law makers who have changed the laws to convict so many for so long is coming to a head. What I know is that we need people working, contributing to the economy. I am getting old and so are a lot of people. We are also living longer. Our prisons are full and the housing for people being released is a problem as well. So what does this mean? The amount of money going in is well below what is going out. So Justice Reform will happen, we just need it to happen for SO. I would like to see shorter sentencing, and the life long registry gone!

I had allegations back in 98 and sexual relationships with my young daughter me and my wife was separated over eight years we got back together when my daughter was 12 and 14 and my son 8 I was charging 2005 I plead guilty to one count did was to serve 20 years on probation I finished up with 10 and 1/2 years went to court on my own and filed a release from probation was granted it completed Nine polygraphs without felling any of them being innocent I took the probation because it was a way out to get out of jail at the time did not understand the implications that was in there they gave me as a predator and it took another four years I got off probation in mm 10 without an attorney I went on my own and then three years later we moved out to Georgia where there was less stringent on me for registry it is hardship I can’t find a job my wife has to work we spent all our money just to get out of Florida because it was just too tremendously it was bothering us there was no freedoms I do think that the registry can be a good thing but also it needs to be a lot of changes in time limit and if you complete your sentence I think that you should be free I feel that we are still being punished not just me my wife my children anyway I would just like to say I do think that the registry does need to have some work done to it and hopefully one day I’ll be off of it and I’m I’m registered for life I am going to try the petition I’m waiting for Georgia to figure out what kind of c tear program you’re going set me up on it is better here at least I have no restrictions on travel places I go to because they go all the way back to the allegation that I took probation for anyway I just want to put my two cents in

The best argument in this piece is that new negative effects are coming to light daily. Which specific leadership choice(s) lead us to a place where database need is greater than, or more valuable than human need? A database can be a great thing, a useful tool but it cannot accurately predict the future!

The highly publicized path of hurricane (x) illustrates that point nicely. Humans can derive “compture models” from known past paths, databases programmed under those parameters +\- margin error but…….instead of colliding with Fl or GA as predicted ( and sharpied), instead heads up coast.
The notion “an informed public is a safer public” is predominantly dependant upon accuracy of the information in totality and not in part.

The presumption of good faith in broad stroke defies the notion of tailoring for efficacy & efficiency. A regime that proves neither in expressed desired outcome must have had a hidden or undisclosed broad purpose. Assisting law enforcement maybe a fine thing and can potentially catch criminals but not before a crime is done. I see stories daily of federal child porn charges where obviously federal agents delve into the daily lives of the citizenry. This implicates the nature of the this thing, just as the founders worried themselves so much about.
WHO IS A SEX OFFENDER?
The scapegoat for the electronic domestic surveillance saints.

My son is a Marine with a 40% service connected disability, living at home with me. He was on the internet and found child pornography that the Feds were monitoring and was caught up in the “sweep.” We hired a lawyer that charged us $10,000 to defend my son. We were in court on several occasions and not even once did this lawyer say anything in any of those hearings other than to state his name and that he was “defending” my son. If anyone accessed the court records that statement can be validated. He told my son he should sign the plea agreement which would give him 8 1/2 years in Federal prison but it would be reduced to 3 years because he never had a record for anything, not even a traffic ticket and was honorably discharged from the Marines. The lawyer lied – he never made any effort at all to do anything to help “reduce the sentence,” or anything else. My son spent over 7 1/2 years in Federal prison – 1 year off for good behavior. The Federal prosecutor stated he had notified the people that were depicted in the pornographic site and one had made a comment they should kill my son. (The Federal prosecutor claimed.) My son is out now and cannot live with me because I am disabled and live in an apartment and no apartment any where here (in this town) allows any felon to rent from them. My son is living in a house with 5 other SO’s provided by the VA. He is also disabled so to find a job is almost impossible – he cannot do manual labor, due to his disability. His expertise, unfortunately, is in computers. His parole officer has told him if he was able to get a job with a computer, the PO would have to notify my son’s employer that my son is an SO. That, of course, would end his employment because he is not allowed to use a computer in the first place so that would also violate his condition of parole, and of course, life-time registration on Megan’s List.
My question is this: Why in the world would someone be so hateful as to actually think it was a good idea to notify a victim every time someone sees their picture? All that does is make the victim even more vulnerable and I cannot even begin to imagine the horror they must go through every time they are told another person saw their picture. The only thing that can possibly do is damage the victim even more. Oh, yes, there is the money angle. The person convicted of seeing that picture is then told they have to pay the victim restitution for further damaging them. My son was not ordered to pay simply because the only money he has is less than $600 per month from the VA for his service-connected disability. I cannot for the life of me think that under any circumstance would this be a good idea to notify a victim of this. If I were a victim, that is the very last thing I would ever want to hear: your picture came up on the internet and xxx amount of people saw you. How is that in any way helpful to the victim?
This crook who claimed he was a lawyer looking out for my son’s “best interests” got away with robbery, in my opinion but we can do nothing about it because my son is now an SO and the lawyer, of course, is an upstanding citizen as versus my son the ex-convict felon SO. I just want to know where the justice in all this is?????
Yes, my son looked at some pictures – his conviction states his crime is a no-contact crime. So he looked at a couple pictures – is that worth ruining him for life? 8 1/2 year sentence, 15 years on parole and a life time on the registry?

Sharon – Your son’s severe punishment does not fit the crime. I have always wondered too why it is okay for the FBI and law enforcement to view CP and even run CP sites for stings since the argument is that every time the photo is viewed, the child is hurt. I don’t think they should be told either. Someone’s grand idea of restitution is really a nightmare for the kids. No one should be sentenced so harshly for merely viewing photos. Counseling, yes. Prison, no. Making the person unemployable and unable to find housing is also not acceptable. It also amazes me that those who actually host such sites seem to elude the law, while someone who clicks on their websites is prosecuted to the hilt. Prison and a felony conviction is way too harsh for a first offense.

This is a great article. It’s an easy and relatively quick read. I hope this get reprinted in other venues for the world en masse to absorb in between their junk non-news.

The only silver lining from the fact that “thousands of Americans are added monthly to their number” is that more people have more power. Sandy, I wonder if you or a staffer has time to compile a list of which states do and do not restore voting right after probation/parole/sentence completion. It would be a good way to see how large the voting bloc is, and forecast how big it will become in the next 5, 10 years, and onward.

Such a list exists. I found it and used it when we were building our state wiki as that is one of the areas that the wiki addresses. I’ll declare an exception to the no-links rule and post the document here: https://felonvoting.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000286
It is kept updated. In most cases, the laws applicable to all felons in this regard also apply to those with sexual convictions. However, it is important to look at the notes that follow the listing of the states because there are at least two exceptions to that; Florida and Delaware both have “carve-outs” for “sex-offenders” and there may be others. I think I’ll add that into my piece.

similar thing happened to me. i have mountains of data on this subject.
of which, most recently they discovered our own govt is the worlds largest distributor of such content. who is actually the criminal here…. you cant believe or trust our govt for anything.

to possess drugs (legal or illegal), weapons or any other type of product, you must purchase it from from a producer or distributor of sorts, or make it yourself. And you must pay for these items. internet…. a click of a button and you can find anything of which you did not participate in, had no connection with what-so-ever, did not produce or make the website, weblinks nor played any part in the activity… yet… you are the one who is punished??? then even after punishment, the website, links and such are still readily available for anyone at anytime to fall trap to….

its called a “proxie punishment scheme” look it up & a guaranteed conviction to tally for their records

Currently, I am 71 years old and on the sex offender registry. I was NOT CONVICTED and I am not a felon. As a sex offender, I live in the woods isolated (psychologically harmful) from society. There is almost no place where I am allowed to live. I carry a concealed carry permit, approved by the FBI and carry a 9mm for my protection. I sleep with my gun under my pillow. I am on the Florida sex offender registry for life and moved to another state where I am registered for life, as well.

I cannot visit one of my children or grandson because they live within 500 feet of a church. I cannot go to any parks, where children congregate or there is a pool or playground. I am not allowed to live within 1000 feet of parks, schools, daycare or pre-schools services, and the National Park system or any bike trail generally where there is a park or playground on the property. I cannot go to fast food places with a playground, I cannot spend any time with my grandchildren or family events with so many restrictions placed on me. When I was changed to a level 2 offender, the state added an additional 15 years (extending me to file for an appeal to 25 years to get off the S/O registry which doesn’t matter since state legislation in both states will keep me on the registry for life anyway.

My social life is non-existent. I cannot have a friend or girlfriend and hide that I am a registered offender. They will drop me and tell everyone they know that I am a sex offender. I was offered to teach Tai Chi at a senior citizens organization. Once I am found out they will ask me to leave. I cannot join a cycling group because once found out they will ask me to leave and so it goes. I served with the USMC in Vietnam, but, by law, I cannot be buried in a national cemetery because I am a registered sex offender.

Over the years I have been humiliated, excluded, shunned, given the cold-shoulder, rejected, repudiated, boycotted, blackballed, blacklisted, cast out, shut out, avoided, ignored, snubbed, barred, banned, banished, exiled, expelled,
and so on.

Sandy, a most important article. Thanks for writing it and to those who provided you with their stories to share. Interestingly if the registry was not made public and only used and accessible to the authorities so many of our rights would be less-infringed. Even my PO admitted to me last week that “it would be disingenuous of me to say that the registry is not used as a form of punishment”. Keep writing Sandy!

Who is a sex offender? We all are or do we offend in thought and deed. It doesn’t have to be about sex as it can be anything. I believe pride goeth before the fall. Man has a lot of pride and so do women or do we all eat kibbles and bits for breakfast. Actually the more important matter is Who is protecting and who is serving in this deadly game. or what do you do to a drunken sailor.

Is all or many of these sex offender ordeals about one’s wisdom or being to wise? or is it all about complaining that one is not getting a fair shake out of justice or justice is wrong. Is it about pre-predicting in many of these sex offenses or is their a principal involved in all this.

From a guy sending a picture of his penis to a person that says one can grab them by the ? who judges today or who is fair. Sure we all get depressed over this ordeal that mankind instills on another. This gives a person on the registry a low value of oneself. Don’t we all offend daily in thought and deed? Sure there’s good and bad in everything but complaining to justify one’s actions isn’t good. And yes we all can gripe myself included.

Yes, we can all get caught up in many different ordeals. Women are no different from men, of course their thoughts can be different but if you look at most of this registry constructively you will find the principal in many of these ordeals is out of balance even the same with discrimination in todays world. Bottom line true justice is true justice and this whole sex offender ordeal is about to crumble in many ways as man was meant to be free or where is true libery today?

Now actual physical contact with a victim can be a bit different. From rape factors to touching or making sexual advances but the principal is there and character plays in a lot of these ordeals. I don’t want to see anyone and I’m sure NARSOL doesn’t want to see anyone on the registry the rest of their life. Life is too short as it is. I don’t care how strong one’s faith is or how weak one’s faith is there is always hope. Now if you leave your faith in the government than where is true justice?

Advocating is good if its going in the right direction. Weather one use’s Christian principals or not the principal is still their or does man want to justify his or her actions in some cunning selfish scheme to overthrow others. In many of these ordeals the courts are overthrowing others for their pride or greed or whatever one calls it. Accountiablity and Responsiblity are two things but when instilled on others in many of these ordeals it can be so unjust. So we all at times have to understand with the sex ordeal somethings rotten in denmark.

if you have looked at porn or have possibly offended someone in what they perceived as a sexual act. then you are a sex offender. which literally puts 75% of the worlds population into that pool.

why are we not rallying for a Class Action Civil Suite against the govt? they have mountains of data that anyone convicted of a crime that was sexual in nature are the LOWEST RISK to the population. they continue to ignore the EVIDENCE in lieu political rhetoric and grandstanding over some opinion. it is absolute social genocide published and re-enforced 100% by our govt.

$300 / head….; the 100s of thousands that are considered “SOs” = that should be plenty enough to mount an assault to banish any such registry. we have a constitutional right and a human right to live a free life in pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Seems we all have different view’s and issues over this registry going on and some on here have suggested “Protest”. With this Epstain encounter still lingering in the shadows it might be time to organize a little protest rally to speak out on a lot of these issues. I’m sure Robin and NARSOL would think its time for this corrective measure to take place in a more direct stance. I’m sure a lot of us can make a difference in a corrective way.

Principal says a lot of things in these ordeals and we all don’t need to be angry over this but come to reason in this uncanny treatment of mankind by this registry. When men can’t be around there grandkids and can’t even be living close to churches, schools, or parks that is UnAmerican. Now Rebellion is not good but speaking out in a protest does sound good.

I’m sure NARSOL would have some view’s about this but we all have to stand up. I would be willing to go to DC. Fighting for freedom or protesting for freedom is just how one has to look at all this.. What do you all think about this and yes NARSOL is a big plus in all this advocating.

Nice article Sandy, very important, please fight for US legal passports NOT to change, it’s already impossible to live in USA now with this crazy lifetime label destroying our lives & our families until we die!
Myself and others want to continue to live elsewhere out of USA as non violent, non criminal free men.

The current events elephant in the room: At some point, the non-prosecution of the Epstein associates and clients (i.e. the Elites) should be cited in future arguments proving the justice system has two tiers:
Elitist System
Peasant System
The argument being this: “Such a wide disparity should be ended by immediate merger of the two-class system and practical solution: halting/dissolving the registry.

“Evan” & his wife is exactly what happened to my friends. My friend “Evan” had OCD undiagnosed while viewing illegal porn, when he was diagnosed and treated, he stopped viewing and never went back again. Around 5 years later the FBI busted down their door. Too bad he didn’t destroy the hard drive on his computer, he might be free today. He’s the nicest man in the world with a great sense of humor that made a terrible mistake when he was sick. The story goes even deeper with the Judge and how they screwed him in the justice system. Takes the spirit right out of someone like me, a law abiding citizen to see what took place with this man & what his wife is going through, she’s the one given the punishment, and she’s innocent.
God Bless you Sandy.

@linda,
Unfettered use of the big data infrastructure was always bound to be used as weaponry against the people themselves for political purposes. That is human nature. What was the first thing done with the A- Bomb? Used on humans. No different here with the database.

Johnathan and Matthew, I am all in with a march to Washington. I’ve said that a year ago. I believe we have the numbers. I have no idea how we get those numbers to make the trip. Writing letters will not do any good, its to easy for them to toss those in the trash. Somehow we have to make a connection with anyone willing to make the trip. Would anyone from NARSOL be willing to go and help get this set up? Let Congress know we are sick of being below 2nd rate citizens, that we’re mad as hell and we’re not gonna take it anymore and that we’re heading their way to express our anger.

These cases, like my own, are all so tragic and so UNNECESSARY! We are now nearly a million strong on sex offender registries-TENS OF MILLIONS if one counts all the affected family members of individual registrants. Is this not a voting block or demographic with POWER? I wish NARSOL could figure a way to present such a case to the national legislature. The House has to run every two years to stay in office, the Senate is more insulated with their six year terms, but a third of THEM come up for re-election on the same scale as the House.
It’s FEAR of their electorate that keeps them from contesting idiotic laws promulgated by their pandering, grandstanding colleagues. ALL of them are scared to death of being tarred with the “soft on crime” brush. NOW, in this current election cycle, is the time for all these candidates to be reminded of how many votes are being left on the table by those who ignore our numbers when criminal justice reform is on the agenda for discussion. Drug dealers and minorities get all the play in these discussions. And NONE of them want to touch sex offenses given the Epstein-or “EpSTAIN” situation. When it does come up, we hear a lot about his “pedophilic” proclivities. A pedophile is someone attracted to pre-pubescent children. The little trollops coming forward in the Epstein case were at that time of his “offenses” biological adults, with all their secondary sexual characteristics in place who knew exactly what they were doing-having a good time! Just like then, they are just wanting to get PAID, which Epstein did then too-in SPADES. And as he did most recently, by being murdered in his cell.